Word Count: 3,075 Words
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The tables had turned!
Ling Qiuxi watched Ling Bai's expression, a look that clearly said he wanted to complain but had no idea where to start. Her bearing remained lofty and aloof, but inside she was practically bursting with joy.
She had, of course, come here for Ling Bai. Because the plot had deviated from the 'original,' the Raiment of Light had yet to appear in this world.
Without access to Huo Yuhao/Ling Bai's memories, Ling Qiuxi's motives were simple and blunt: she adored that face of his, prettier than most girls', and had copied it wholesale. It would be far easier to get close to him at Shrek Academy when she wore his features.
Back in the Star Dou Forest, he had tormented her without mercy. Now that a chance had finally come around, Ling Qiuxi fully intended to reclaim everything with interest!
Just picturing Ling Bai 'swallowing his pride' and calling her 'Big Sister' made the corners of her crimson lips lift unconsciously. Her golden eyes locked onto him, faint anticipation shimmering in their depths.
Say it! Come on, say it out loud!
To her surprise, Ling Bai ignored her completely and turned instead to Yan Shaozhe:
"Dean, whether we're siblings or I'm the younger brother doesn't matter. I came today to submit my graduation examination task."
"What?"
Yan Shaozhe stared in shock. "The task I assigned you was to kill a Super Evil Douluo. You actually completed it?"
Yan Shaozhe was nothing if not cunning. The task he had set wasn't nearly as simple as it looked; it contained two deep layers of meaning.
First, having Ling Bai eliminate a Super Evil Douluo would be a service to the Douluo Continent as a whole. He only had to move his lips and he could send this foolish kid out to do good in his name. Why wouldn't he?
Second, Super Evil Douluo were notoriously elusive. In recent years, the only one publicly active was Death Abyss Douluo. Yan Shaozhe had seen that man's terrifying power with his own eyes on the road. That Death Abyss Bone Dragon had been ferocious beyond belief.
He hadn't wanted Ling Bai graduating so quickly. At the very least, he wanted to drag things out until after the Continental Youth Elite Spirit Master Grand Tournament, ensuring Shrek Academy's championship stayed secure. In his eyes, Shrek's ten-thousand-year glory outweighed everything.
But man proposed, and heaven disposed. For all his meticulous scheming, Ling Bai had still managed to clear his task before the tournament even began.
"Super Evil Douluo are infamous fiends across the continent. Produce the body so I can see who you killed!"
Yan Shaozhe ground his teeth, secretly cursing whichever heaven-defying Evil Douluo had fallen into Ling Bai's hands, actually slain by the Seraphim across two major ranks.
Both Ling Qiuxi and Wu Feng turned curious eyes his way. Ling Bai's expression did not change. His hand swept across his Storage Spirit Guidance Device, and a figure appeared before them.
Yan Shaozhe focused his gaze, and long-buried memories came flooding back. His voice shot up eight octaves, as if someone had grabbed him by the throat:
"Feng… Feng'er, how could it be you!!!"
Feng Ling huddled on the ground, covered in wounds from head to toe. She flinched at the sound of his voice and stared up at him in a daze.
"It's good that you recognize her, Dean. Otherwise I might worry you'd claim she didn't meet the graduation requirements."
Ling Bai spoke with a sly curve to his lips. "Feng Ling, Rank 97 Evil Phoenix Douluo, Vice Leader of the Holy Spirit Cult. She has slaughtered thousands, a criminal deserving of death. I crippled her Martial Spirit and destroyed her Spiritual Sea to seek justice for those she wrongfully killed.
Dean, that should qualify me for graduation, shouldn't it?"
"...Yes."
Yan Shaozhe nodded with great difficulty.
"That's good."
Golden light gathered into the Angel Sword. Ling Bai performed an elegant flourish, the blade gleaming coldly as its tip leveled straight at Feng Ling. Terrified, she shrieked and scrambled madly across the floor until she crashed into Yan Shaozhe's leg.
Yan Shaozhe reflexively restrained her. The sight of her reduced to a crippled, witless husk stirred memories of rain-soaked, tearful affection between them, and his heart churned with complicated emotion. He coughed lightly and put on a look of benevolent compassion:
"Xiao Ling, since Feng'er… Feng Ling has already paid for her past misdeeds, and heaven values all life, perhaps we should show mercy where possible. I'll count your task complete if you spare her life.
You needn't concern yourself with her anymore. I'll care for her from now on."
Forget Ling Bai, even the usually straightforward Wu Feng and the newly enrolled Ling Qiuxi could hear the blatant favoritism in his tone.
"Dean Yan, I respect you as my senior, but you are out of line."
Ling Bai's smile turned cold. "If I recall correctly, the primary rule of the Shrek Guardians is that Evil Spirit Masters must be killed. Even dismembering them wouldn't be excessive. As the Dean of the Martial Spirit Department and a member of the Sea God Pavilion, you should adhere to the rules most strictly.
Besides, Feng Ling's value is far greater than just her life.
She is the Vice Leader of the Holy Spirit Cult. Her ninth spirit ring came from a 100,000-year spirit beast, which means she possesses at least one 100,000-year spirit bone and five 10,000-year spirit bones.
I captured her by myself, thoroughly offending the Holy Spirit Cult and even provoking an assassination attempt from Dragon Emperor Douluo, who is renowned alongside Elder Mu as one of the Black and White Twin Holy Dragons. These six spirit bones should rightfully belong to me.
Your request puts me in a difficult position. But since I'm merely a junior, if you insist on this course, I can only invite Teacher to visit the academy and preside over this matter…"
"Ha… hahaha, there's no need to trouble Senior Jianmu over such a trivial issue."
Yan Shaozhe's face twisted into a mask of pain. Shrek looked strong outwardly but was hollow within. Their strongest expert was a Rank 97 Titled Douluo, someone Jianmu Douluo could swat to death with a single slap.
Life-attribute and plant-type spirit beasts were generally gentle by nature, but Jianmu Douluo was the complete opposite. Du Busi and Long Xiaoyao would go on a rampage the moment they were provoked, and Jianmu Douluo was no different. If he learned someone was trying to steal Ling Bai's 100,000-year spirit bone, even if it all turned out to be a misunderstanding, Yan Shaozhe would suffer consequences he absolutely could not bear.
Ling Bai raised the Angel Sword. Brilliant light flared along the blade. "Dean Yan, please step aside, lest you be splashed by this Evil Spirit Master's filthy blood."
"This…"
Yan Shaozhe's body trembled slightly. Compared to Xian Lin Er and Cai Mei'er, Feng Ling was the woman into whom he had poured the greatest share of true affection.
Elder Mu had been the target he chased. When Feng Ling appeared, Yan Shaozhe had thought heaven had gifted him with a perfect match: Light and Dark Twin Phoenixes to mirror the Light and Dark Twin Holy Dragons.
Later, after her Evil Phoenix origin awakened, he had let her go. That alone proved a piece of his heart still belonged to her. It was exactly why he had spoken up now, hoping Ling Bai would spare her.
The process of extracting spirit bones was unimaginably bloody. With all six major locations on her body 'fully equipped,' the end result would undeniably be dismemberment into eight pieces.
He could not accept watching his old lover be killed and carved up right before his eyes. In a flash of inspiration, he thought of a way to save her: take one 100,000-year spirit bone and five 10,000-year spirit bones from the Sea God Pavilion's underground treasury in exchange.
Yet he was reluctant to pay such a monumental price. When it came down to it, the 100,000-year spirit bone sat higher in his heart than any former lover.
Dean Yan turned his back, shut his eyes tightly, and sealed his hearing. He let Ling Bai execute Feng Ling with a single stroke.
Within the punishing holy fire of the Angel Sword, Feng Ling writhed and struggled, then finally dissolved into drifting points of golden light, leaving behind six spirit bones.
Five high-quality 10,000-year spirit bones.
One 100,000-year skull spirit bone.
Once it was over, Yan Shaozhe produced a golden badge carved with Shrek Academy's emblem and forced himself to smile:
"I thought this moment would come a bit later.
Congratulations. After six years, you have officially graduated from Shrek Academy.
This Honor Badge grants you entry to the academy at any time.
The graduation happened so suddenly that I didn't prepare in advance. I'll have your certificate ready by tomorrow."
"Six years of education, engraved in my heart."
Ling Bai replied with the customary phrase and accepted the Honor Badge from Yan Shaozhe's hand.
Ling Qiuxi, who had watched the entire scene unfold, suddenly sensed that something was very wrong.
"Graduation… what does that mean?"
"Going home," Ling Bai helpfully explained.
Her fists clenched—clenched hard!
Those two simple words nearly made Ling Qiuxi faint from rage!
You're graduating and running off, leaving me alone at Shrek?
I came here for you!
And now you're fucking leaving?!
Ling Qiuxi lost all composure. A wild, untamed aura burst out of her body. Wu Feng and Yan Shaozhe traded glances, feeling a chill creep down their spines.
She stared at Ling Bai's annoyingly cheerful face, took a deep breath, then spun around and kicked the dean's office door clean off its hinges with a roar:
"I quit! I'm dropping out!"
She stomped away, each heavy step leaving a clear footprint five centimeters deep in the floor. It was obvious she was furious to the extreme.
Yan Shaozhe's brain CPU short-circuited, completely unable to comprehend what game she was playing.
Shrek Academy was the holy land for Spirit Masters. Ling Qiuxi had finally, after grinding effort, gotten into the Inner Courtyard, and now she was quitting before even setting foot on Sea God Island? Did she think he was a monkey here purely for her amusement?
"Student Qiuxi, don't be impulsive! We can talk this through!"
Yan Shaozhe hurriedly chased after her. He still counted on Ling Qiuxi dedicating everything to Shrek Academy in the future!
…
That afternoon, news of Ling Bai's graduation swept through the academy like a whirlwind, causing an uproar.
The Inner Courtyard students' reactions varied wildly. Ling Luochen, Yao Haoxuan, Gongyang Mo, and Xi Xi—the four previous-generation Shrek Seven Monsters who had already decided to follow Ling Bai—immediately applied for graduation together.
Several other Inner Courtyard students who were qualified to graduate but had remained at Shrek for various reasons were also stirred into action. One after another, they requested to take their graduation examinations. Among them was the Jade Phosphor Serpent, Dugu Lin.
The deadly snake-woman's graceful figure swayed as she approached Ling Bai. She expressed her hope that, after her own examination was over, he would accompany her to a certain place.
He readily agreed, having more or less guessed where she meant. There were still three months left before the Continental Youth Elite Spirit Master Grand Tournament. It was the perfect opportunity to help strengthen himself, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and the others.
Besides Dugu Lin, there was also Xi Xi's boyfriend, Chen Zifeng. As the wife sang, the husband followed. He too wanted to graduate, and he was deeply interested in the Seven Kill Sword Technique.
Ling Bai promised to let him study it and, while he was at it, to introduce him to a Sword Fanatic for some daily 'fencing.'
Next, he quietly informed Ning Tian and Wu Feng about the tournament format being changed for the next grand competition. After thinking it over, the two women decided to withdraw from the academy as well. They would wait until everyone finished their examinations so they could all return to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan together.
In the meantime, they would head to the Outer Courtyard to recruit some of their old friends.
Geniuses from both courtyards, packed up and taken away!
Shrek Academy didn't care much about Outer Courtyard students, but the Inner Courtyard was another matter entirely.
The Inner Courtyard had fewer than a hundred students in total. Ling Bai, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Dugu Lin, Ling Luochen, Yao Haoxuan, Gongyang Mo, Xi Xi, Chen Zifeng…
Plus Ling Qiuxi, who was hell-bent on dropping out.
Losing a double-digit number of Inner Courtyard students, each one an elite, a genius on par with the Shrek Seven Monsters, was like stabbing straight into Shrek's main artery. Yan Shaozhe was so anxious he was practically running in circles.
Yet everyone was following proper procedure. According to their spokesperson Dugu Lin, the terms were simple: either the academy conducted normal graduation examinations, or they would all withdraw en masse.
Yan Shaozhe wanted to cry but had no tears. He could only agree to conduct their graduation examinations and didn't even dare raise the difficulty. If word got out that Shrek's Inner Courtyard had collectively withdrawn, the academy's reputation would be in ruins.
He also didn't dare make trouble for Ling Bai himself. Jianmu Douluo was like a living ancestor standing behind him, and Ling Bai had already grown into a power in his own right. Shrek Academy was still hoping to ride his coattails in the future.
Ma Xiaotao was extremely reluctant to see him go, but she didn't cling. Instead, she pinned her hopes on the day she would succeed as Sea God Pavilion Master, when she could finally act without restraint.
Han Ruoruo was willing to leave with Ling Bai, but she refused to go to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, as that was Ning Tian's domain.
It was one thing for Ning Tian to be his principal wife, but Han Ruoruo would sooner die than go to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to live as a lesser consort under another woman's roof.
She looked forward to a future where Ling Bai became a lord with his own fief and took her there to live a comfortable life. Alternatively, she would return to her home in Spirit Dou City, the capital of the Dou Spirit Empire; if he missed her, he could always come visit.
Ling Bai didn't force his outwardly gentle but inwardly unyielding Elder Sister to cross her bottom line. Han Ruoruo decided to remain at Shrek for the time being, helping Ma Xiaotao deal with any thorny problems that arose.
The young couple Wu Ming and Chu Qingtian had a difference of opinion. Wu Ming wanted to stay with Han Ruoruo, while Chu Qingtian wanted to follow Ling Bai. In the end, Wu Ming's fist was bigger, so they stuck with Han Ruoruo.
Looking at the graduation list in his hands, the academy's leadership couldn't help recalling the fear they had once felt under Ning Fengya's 'reign of terror.'
The seductive demon had returned to Shrek!
And this time was even more terrifying—men and women alike, Inner and Outer Courtyard both, all harvested together. It looked as if he intended to dig up the academy's very foundations.
Yan Shaozhe, notoriously possessive of talent, felt Shrek had taken a catastrophic loss. He spent his days in his office sighing, beating his chest, and stamping his feet in frustration.
Time trickled by, and everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. The Inner Courtyard students departed one after another on their graduation missions, while Ning Tian and Wu Feng scoured the Outer Courtyard for recruits.
The missions were different, and their durations varied. Ling Bai estimated the longest would take about a month.
With nothing pressing on his plate, he enjoyed a rare stretch of idleness. Every day was spent in sweet affection with Ning Tian, stealing scent and warmth from Wu Feng, rekindling old flames with Ma Xiaotao, and slowly, steadily winning over Han Ruoruo. His life could only be described with a single word: bliss.
…
Knock, knock, knock!
In the midst of his comfortable haze, Big Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan appeared at his door with a smile.
"The Inner Courtyard is organizing a spirit hunting operation. I heard from Ruoruo that you've broken through to Rank 80 and need an eighth spirit ring. Want to come along?"
Ling Bai, wearing a long robe, kept the door only half open to block her view of the pink-hued scene inside. He hesitated. "My eighth spirit ring has to come from a 100,000-year spirit beast. It might not be safe to travel with the other Inner Courtyard students."
"No problem. The supervising teachers are Elder Song and myself. With her speed as a Rank 97 Agility-type Titled Douluo, plus the two of us, we'll be perfectly safe as long as we don't encounter an enemy on the level of the Ten Great Beasts."
"Very well, then I'll join you."
During his survival training in the Star Dou Forest, Ling Bai had pried some information out of Ling Qiuxi: the forest contained no light-attribute spirit beasts over 200,000 years old, and among fire-attribute spirit beasts, only the continent's eighth-ranked Great Beast, the Scarlet King, was noteworthy.
He felt a little bad about targeting the Scarlet King, and he already had another candidate in mind for his eighth spirit ring, one that wasn't in the Star Dou Forest. He had no intention of provoking a 100,000-year spirit beast there.
This trip's main purpose was to visit the Myriad Demon King. After killing the Demon Eye Evil Tree, that fellow owed him a 100,000-year spirit bone. It was time to play debt collector.
"Mm, I'll let you know when we have more information."
Zhang Lexuan's gaze lingered on an ambiguous kiss mark on the side of Ling Bai's neck. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Young people should exercise moderation. And don't forget to treat Ruoruo better in the future."
…
That night, precise news of the spirit hunting operation arrived. The Sea God Pavilion scheduled it for early the next morning.
Rank 97 Greenshadow Douluo Elder Song would lead, with Sea God Pavilion member and Inner Courtyard Big Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan as overall commander.
Target: Star Dou Forest!